


Wanna Bet?

by aeducans



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Other, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 09:28:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16930695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeducans/pseuds/aeducans
Summary: A morning ride and a friendly wager.For DADWC on tumblr, from the prompt, "Wanna Bet?"





	Wanna Bet?

The sound of the horses' hooves, brighter than normal on the frigid white stone underneath them, was the only sound as the party reached the center of Judicael's Crossing. The morning had dawned crisp and bright, though that brightness dimmed considerably when Varevas declared that today, his only wish was to fight the last remaining High Dragon in the Emprise. Of course Baron Dejardins was delighted to hear that the last scourge would be defeated that day, but the three men the Inquisitor asked to accompany him had simply exchanged quiet glances around the fire.

They rode now in pairs, Bull riding beside Varevas at the front, Dorian beside Varric behind. It was only when they saw the dragon take to wing and Bull predictably starting professing his love for it that Dorian finally spoke. He had to say _something._ "Varric, this is the first time I have ever seen you smiling after being recruited to fight a dragon. Has the cold finally gotten to you, too?" Dorian would be the first to admit this particular excursion threatened his sanity flake by delicate lacy flake.

"Nah, nothing like that. I'm not worried because there's no way we're gonna fight that thing today." Varric tugged at the cuff of one glove and Dorian narrowed his eyes.

"That's literally the only thing planned for today and you don't think it's going to happen?"

"Nope. In fact, we're not even going to get close. Twenty royals says we don't even make it past the second tower."

Dorian scoffed and looked across at the landscape as it came closer. From an aesthetic perspective, the stark white and stone of the Emprise was beautiful in its way, but there was nothing ahead he could see that ought to impede them. "I can't imagine what would turn us back this close."

"That's because you don't know our beloved Inquisitor as well as I do. Trust me. Or don't, if you wanna bet. Make up your mind, though, once we're off the bridge the money's off the table." Varric kept his gaze dead ahead when Dorian turned to look at him, betraying nothing that his trademark smirk didn't already make obvious.

Varric routinely offered wagers like this and Dorian was hardly shy about betting against Varevas; it was all in good fun. This time, however, he was both certain he'd come away a winner but also certain that meant Varric was up to something. The end of the bridge was approaching, though, so he didn't really have time to figure out what.

"You're on, but only for five royals. I don't know what you've got up those rolled up sleeves of yours but I'm not losing my shirt over it." He watched out of the corner of his eye as Varric nodded.

"All right. That's fair, even if it is a little modest for my blood. It's five royals I didn't have yesterday anyway. Yesterday," he continued thoughtfully, "which was our what, sixth day in the Emprise?"

"Seventh. We were three days in Sahnria, a day to travel and rest at that charmingly named Tower of Bones, one day to clear out the Keep, then we got started on the local wildlife. First the Hivernal, then the..." Dorian stopped and blinked. _Oh no_.

Besides him, Varric laughed and reached across to pat his arm. "It's all right. It's easy to lose track of time out here. We all do it, but some do it worse than others. Look."

Dorian followed where Varric pointed and sure enough, while Bull chattered merrily away about the smell of hot dragon blood and the things it did to his various body parts, Varevas had gone silent and appeared to be looking at his saddle's pommel. Dorian knew better, though, and so did Varric. _Oh,_ amatus _, why do you do this to yourself..._

As the two of them watched, Varevas' arms went slack on his reins. Bull reached across the distance between their horses to take them, pulling the Inquisitor's mount to a stop. The jostle was just enough to start him tilting and all three of them watched as the leader of the heretic army that was trying to unite the world under a broken green sky slipped slowly from his saddle and disappeared into the snowbank at the side of the bridge's base, sending up a puff of fresh powder as he landed. He sat back up almost immediately, rubbing at his face and blinking as though he had no idea how he'd gotten down there.

"All right, Boss. We can tell everybody you tried if you want, but if you think I'm following you into a dragon’s nest right now, you're wrong. No offense, of course." Bull was fighting back a grin and Varric wasn't even bothering to fight it, laughing softly to himself as he started to turn his own horse around.

"He's gone four days before without sleep, you know, and could go longer under the right circumstances." Dorian watched every move Varevas made as he hauled himself back onto his horse and started to coax it into turning around as well. He seemed fine, his pride not even injured in the fall. Of course it wouldn't be, he was used to it, somehow. Dorian urged his horse forward so he could get turned around before continuing. "What made you so sure he wouldn't be fine for today?"

"The fact that the only thing louder than you complaining about the cold is you when you're getting the Inquisitor to keep you warm, Sparkler. You should let the poor man sleep once in a while." Varric winked at him before nudging his horse into motion. Dorian suddenly couldn't get his legs to work and instead spent a long moment contemplating hopping into the snowdrift himself and never emerging again. Bull slapped him on the back as he passed him, now laughing without reserve, and that was enough to start his horse back to life even if Dorian was certain his soul had departed his body in mortification. 

The only thing to truly bring him back was Varevas' hand at his elbow as he caught up to him. Up close now he could see how worn he looked and it made him cringe, thinking that the pursuit of a bit of pleasure had played any part in that. As if reading his mind, Varevas moved his hand over Dorian's forearm and gripped his hand, just for a moment. "Hey. Don't look like that. I'm not sorry about it and you certainly shouldn't be. Besides which, I'm honored that you bet on me for once. It's a nice change."

"I simply underestimated my own influence on the situation since it’s so rarely a negative factor. I assure you, it won’t happen again."

"Aww." Varevas feigned a pout before letting go and settling back into his saddle, an image of nonchalance. "And to think, I was really starting to enjoy your influence."

"Don't you worry. I'll just apply it a little more discretely in the future, _amatus_."

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](http://sulevinblade.tumblr.com)!


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